There are few issues that find more support among the Republican Party than guns, and Florida’s GOP dominated statehouse is no exception. When lawmakers return to Tallahassee for the 2016 regular session, they’ll be coming back loaded for bear.

Several gun-related bills have already been filed for the 2016 legislative session. But, it includes a non-controversial bill agreed to by both the Florida Police Chiefs and the National Rifle Association.

The Florida Supreme Court recently ruled on a case relating to Florida’s controversial Stand Your Ground law. The matter—which pit State prosecutors against public defenders and defense lawyers—was also a matter of contention during last year’s legislative session.

There’s now another option for local residents to apply for a concealed weapons permit. A branch of the Walton County Tax Collector’s office is the latest to participate in a new partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to speed up the process.

A bill allowing people to carry a firearm without a concealed carry permit during the evacuation of a declared state of emergency is now teed up for a vote in the Senate, despite opposition from several Democrats.

Despite broad opposition on Florida’s campuses, state lawmakers are moving forward with a plan to allow guns on university campuses. Three months ago today, there was a shooting at Florida State University. And, as Nick Evans reports, this week the controversial measure began its path through the state senate.

A controversial gun bill is turning out to be not so controversial anymore, after it got the approval of its main opponent—the Florida Sheriffs Association—Monday.

Last year, the NRA-backed measure allowing people to carry guns without a license during a state mandatory evacuation failed, after the Florida Sheriffs criticized the bill for being too loose. This year, bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) is working to address that with a new change.

Well, forget all those campaign promises to shrink government and grow the job market. Governor Rick Scott this week had to put his money where his mouth is in the course of rolling out his 77-billion dollar spening proposal this week. As Jim Ash reports, Scott’s idea of jolting the economy includes 673-million dollars in tax cuts and his notion of a smaller government is eliminating 1,017 state positions.

Recent shootings around the country have left many reexamining police departments and policies. But Regan McCarthy reports its also led to a renewed focus on personal protection with increased gun sales and a legislative proposal to allow guns on college campuses.

Florida State University President John Thrasher says his position has not changed since the recent filing of a bill allowing people to open carry on public college and university campuses. It’s the same bill Thrasher helped defeat in 2011 when he was a state senator.

In 2011, the testimony of Dr. Robert Cowie, a friend of Thrasher, also helped derail the bill. Just weeks before, Cowie’s daughter, FSU Student Ashley, had been accidentally shot by a rifle and killed at a frat house.

Should the Florida Supreme Court or the state Legislature have the power to shift the burden of proof to a defendant or the state prosecutor in a Stand Your Ground case? That question was recently before the high court as well as the Legislature earlier this year. So, could that come back into play again next legislative session?